On A Quiet Saturday Morning
by goingdownhillagain
Summary: Who knew the lives of psychiatrists could be so exciting?


**On a Quiet Saturday Morning**

By goingdownhillagain

Dr. Fernandez waited patiently for the young man to introduce himself. In his fifteen years as a psychiatrist, he recognized that he could never get the full story from people until they were willing to talk. Naturally, it meant that he usually spent many weeks engaged in small talk, but sooner (more than later) they all began to open up. But somehow, this young man in a standard-issue Preventers uniform was different. Dr. Fernandez knew that this was going to be an interesting, if not difficult case.

The gun pointed to his head was a good indication

"I take it you have a problem?"

The boy said nothing, his steel blue eyes unmoving, focused.

"At least tell me your name."

"It is not any of your concern."

"It would be, if my brains are going to be blown into the glass façade of my many certificates. Sorry, it's the logical scientist in me."

The boy humph in return, then silence fell again.

"Okay…if not your name, how about why you are here?"

There was another lengthy moment of silence and for a brief moment Dr. Fernandez wondered if he had overestimated this person. If it was just a quack wanting to get rid of the voice in his head put there by aliens or even worse-

The young man frowned a bit, and then his face settled into an impassive stare.

"You are a threat."

Dr. Fernandez' eyes widened slightly. Now this was unexpected.

"I'm a threat...A threat to what?"

A concentrated stare.

'Okay then… who am I a threat to?"

"Relena."

Heero watched impassively as confusion, then recognition played across the face of his target. Good, this was going to be a straightforward interrogation.

"Ah, the Peacecraft girl." Dr. Fernandez chose to ignore the slight twitch on the young man's cheek. "Yes…so I'm a threat to her…I take it you kept surveillance on me."

"Yes, I did and if not for the effect you are having on her, I would be insulted by your half-assed techniques of manipulation."

"You think that I'm trying to brainwash Miss. Peacecraft? To what end?"

"Please don't play stupid. Many people would benefit if she was more …accommodating."

The doctor just looked at him for a moment.

"Alright then, if supposedly I am brainwashing the young lady what indication is there that I am succeeding?"

Heero snorted.

"She is following a routine totally contrary to her established emotions. Her meetings are multiplying, and whatever time she has left, she spends it in her office. She has not spoken to any of her…comrades in the last three months. Neither does she visit with her brother. Also the activity in her back accounts and personal messages has increased. I was not able to ascertain the destination of these messages but I do know that large amounts of money was transferred out of her personal accounts to unknown locations. Also she was visiting various website; they were scrambled but from what I can gather, they offer an extended period of stay. Why are you looking at me like that?"

As the good doctor stared at the man in front of him, he came to sudden and frightenly brilliant realization that this boy was on a whole new unexplored level of insane. His insanity was not born of desperation, or warped desire. His was one of simple logic; stripped of all the usual human rules of interaction and relationships. In other words this boy could be an institution's worst enemy.

"You…hacked…her…private files?"

"Yes, it's not that difficult…I observed your family's activities the same way."

Dr. Fernandez thought about his twenty-year-old daughter, a woman who was determined to live independent of everyone else. He always wondered what kind of boyfriend she would have.

"You haven't answered my question. Why are you looking at me like that?"

She would kill this boy in a week.

"Um…you know what you did is illegal."

"It is under Preventer jurisdiction. I full right to take whatever measures necessary-"

"What about Relena's rights?"

The young man stopped dead in his explanation. The frown that appeared almost hid the confusion that flittered under muscles of his face.

"Rights. She has the right to protection and security-"

"What about privacy?"

The young man was silent again.

"Young man, you broke into Relena's private records. You compromised her passwords, looked at her private thoughts and in essence electronically hunted her down. What right do you have in ignoring her privacy for no justifiable reason? It's as if she is your pet to keep tabs on. Tell me is she your property?"

The fingers wrapped around the butt of the gun twitched for a nano-second.

"You should watch what you say to a person holding a gun to your head."

"So, what do you think about Miss Peacecraft?"

The young man face went blank as his brain tried to catch up with the change in the direction of the conversation.

"What?"

"Simple question. What do you think about Relena?"

The young man stared at him carefully.

"She is a strong leader who is in charge of a rather volatile government. She can organize meetings and is very good at controlling a large group of people. She is what is needed to maintain the peace."

Dr. Fernandez smiled.

"Very good. You get an A+. Now what do you think of Relena?"

"Didn't I answer that question?"

"No, I asked you what you thought about her, now I want to know what you think of her."

The young man's lips jerked apart as his mind tried to process what the doctor said, then as the seconds passed Dr. Fernandez watched as a slow realization settled on his face.

"Well?"

"I think…she's weak. She thinks she will be able to survive in this world, but it is mean and cruel. It will use her and leave nothing more than a useless husk."

"Now was that difficult to do?"

Blue eyes narrowed again.

"What are you up to-"

"Trying to show you what you are really concerned about."

The young man gave a short bark of a laugh.

"And what would that be."

"That you're not concern for her 'safety' at all. What you are really concerned with is the fact that she is no longer playing your game."

"You're stepping on-"

"Just here me out. I assume from your mannerisms and despite of your age, you have extensive war combat experience. Right?"

"Yes."

"And in war, is there a need for the weak?"

The young man answered instantly.

"No, the weak are a hindrance. They can undermine objectives and require more observation than is necessary. They cause un-necessary problems."

"I take it Peacecraft fell under the weak category."

"She was necessary for peace."

"And she was Weak."

The young man fell silent again.

"Yes…Weak."

"Yet you recognized that although weak, she was vital to your cause. So you decided, logically, to change strategy and protect her from everyone. In particular herself."

The young man just looked at him, not commenting. Dr. Fernandez continued.

" Then the war ended and Peacecraft moved into her new position, but…it didn't change the situation in your eyes. The relationship?"

"What relationship?'

"You protecting her and her inherent weakness. But the rules have changed. You mention earlier that she was withdrawing from others. Out of curiosity, are you part of the others?"

The young man now looked uncertain, although the hand holding the gun stayed as steady as ever.

"I'm…She's not requested my services as her bodyguard in the last two months."

"That bothers you?"

"Yes, she's putting herself in danger…she's"

"So you do not trust your fellow Preventers to protect her?"

"I never said-!"

"But your comment showed it."

The young man snarled and readjusted his grip on the hand gun.

"You are wasting my time again-!"

"Like I said before Peacecraft is changing the game for you, but I wonder if your fear is because of her perceived weakness or the fact that her weakness gives you purpose."

The young man just stared at him, this time in suppressed awe.

"I assume that your entire life has been molded to protect and to serve. Peacecraft, with her position and history gives you purpose. But you have to remember; people change, environments change. During the time she was on the run, she had to rely on others so that she could stay out of enemy hands and alive, right?"

The young man nodded.

"Do you think she was comfortable with that?"

The young man looked down for a moment.

"I…I don't…"

Dr. Fernandez sighed then straightened in his chair.

"While I am not at liberty, morally and legally, to divulge any info about my clients, I will tell you this. Miss. Peacecraft is at a crossroads, and I think she has to be exposed fully and impartially to all her options. What you see as isolation and brainwashing may just be her trying to figure out, for the first time in her entire life, what is truly important to her. Unfortunately, that may mean that some things would have to be abandoned. Are you following what I'm saying?"

The young man looked at the doctor for a long time, then, as if it were an unconscious extension of him, the gun disappeared into the folds of his jacket.

"What can I do?"

"Nothing. This is her decision. But, if I were you, I would take this time to consider your options. Like I said she is changing the game and you need to be prepared."

The young man nodded and, with the steady confidence of one who has never had to worry about being shot in the back, headed for the door.

"One more thing."

The young man stopped.

"I would also advise that you also consider your real reasons for wanting things to remain the same. It may help you figure out your options."

The young man again stared at the psychiatrist as he sat in his armchair, relaxed. Not once during their conversation did the old man twitch. The boy knew that he had definitely lost this round.

"I will consider your recommendations…Good morning."

And then the room was silent.

Dr. Fernandez leaned back for a minute and as the seconds slowly ticked by, a slow but easy smile spread across his face. This was going to be most interesting. Suddenly the intercom buzzer came to life, indicating that his secretary was not only back from her appointment but also had something urgent to tell him.

"Doctor, can I come in?"

"Yes go ahead. I'm done."

She was in before he released the speaker button.

"Sir, I came back and …there was this boy in a school uniform of some sort…"

"Don't worry Helen. Just continue."

"Anyhow, he asked that you contact him for the exact time of his next appointment. I don't remember him coming in-!"

"Don't worry, he's a new client."

"Sir, you know I need to have all your client's names! When is Mr.…Yuy…going to be here again?"

Dr. Fernandez looked out his window again. Saturday mornings were the most peaceful time of the week. People were still sleeping off the Friday night madness. For him, his thoughts were clear and crisp.

"Call Mr. Yuy and tell him he can come back next week Saturday at seven o'clock. Once he's here we'll organize further meetings."

"Yes, doctor. "

Helen scribbled down something in her notebook, then with a nod reminiscent of his last guest, left the office.

Dr. Fernandez returned to the scene outside his window. The park opposite his office was lush and green with the summer weather. In the distant he could see both the ESUN Council Hall and almost hovering behind it, like a guard, the Headquarters of the Preventers.

Dr. Fernandez chuckled under his breath.

"Oh, this is going to be so interesting."


End file.
